Dreams do more than add new connections. They use older patterns to reinforce newly learned behavior. Part of how you remember and learn, especially procedural memory, is repetition. Plenty of studies exist showing that you need to repeat things to get it to stick. Thus the make-you-do-it-over-and-over nature of some school work, the chanting of product names in 15 second commercials and more. The average number of repetitions needed to get you to stick it in longer term memory? _9_

The things that have been shown to get the same results with fewer repetitions? Humor can cut the number to 6ish, eating while learning, can cut the number to 5ish (thus primetime, just after people have eaten, and newstime, as they are eating are 1-2 in ad dollars, with number 3 being morning before drivetime, breakfast. It isn't just that you are in front of the TV, you are more vulnerable while eating.), pain can cut the number to 1 =), dreaming can cut the number to 3. Bedtime stories are among the best remembered stories in the world.

The problem with reading slow vs. speed reading is one of focus, when going slow and thinking, your thoughts on the matter get muddled in with the facts. OTOH, conclusions you come to while reading slow will still be with you long after the facts have drained away, change your strategy based on what you need, the lesson or the facts.

--
$you = new YOU;
honk() if $you->love(perl)

In reply to RE: RE: How do our brains work? by extremely
in thread How do our brains work? by japhy

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